Manufacture of pointed celluloid rods.



G. PETITGOLLIN. MANUFACTURE or POINTED GELLULOID RODS. APPLIOATION FILEDAPR. 10, 1909.

977,326.- Patented Nov. 29, 1910;

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U '2 ED STATS GUSTAVE PETITCOLLIN,

OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MANUFACTURE OF POINTED CELLULOIID RODS.

Application filed April 10, 1909.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE PETITCOLLIN, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at 20 Boulevard Saint Denis, Paris, in the Departmentof Seine, France, have invented a new and useful Improved Manufacture ofPointed Celluloid Rods, of which the following is a specification.

Up to the present time in order to obtain the blanks of celluloidrequisite for the manufacture of hairpins or like articles of taperingform, the following process was adopted. Taking the rods or blanks ofcelluloid as they were produced at the works, that is to say of calibersdiffering in diameter but of uniform length and cylindrical form one endto the other, successive lengths were cutoff equal to the length of thefinished pin or the like. These blanks were hitherto pointed at each endin the manner in which a pencil is sharpened and this operation requiredmore or less time according to the tool employed or the skill of theworkman. This pointing was efi'ected bypressing the ends of the blankinto a tapering cutting apparatus (a process not applicable to smalldiameters) or by grinding these ends upon a grindstone or on a graterprovided with cutting blades. This very delicate operation requirestools kept in good condition and skilled operatives. Moreover theshavings produced being very fine, form a mass of inflammable anddangerous material. These shavings represent a waste, the proportion ofwhich is very considerable. In addition to the amount removed from theblank there is often another loss of material because the length of theblanks is not always exactly preserved in the length of the part 1.

My present invention relates to a process which obviates these drawbacksand which consists in obtaining by the drawing of the blank with the aidof heat at suitable points, a considerable lengthening of the blank andits subdivision into a certain number of tapering pieces without loss ofmaterial and with a regular and symmetrical pointing.

The invention also relates to the practical means of realizing thisprocess in the shape of a machine which permits of the simulta neousworking of a great number of blanks, easily controlled, not requiringthe intervention of skilled workmen, and consequently securing an actualsaving of time, of material and of labor.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 489,137.

Figure 1 shows a cylindrical blank pointed l at each end by removal ofthe material as at present in use, forming the tapering piece which onlyrequires to be bent into shape to form the hairpin. Figs. 2 and 3 showdiagrammatically the means of effecting the process for making thetapering pieces, without loss of material, forming the object of thepresent invention. Fig. t shows by way of example, one form of hairpinmade by aid of a tapering blank. Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a machinefor drawing out simultaneously a great number of blanks. Fig. 6 is anelevation of the machine shown in Fig. Fig. 7 shows a detail on a largerscale of the heating box. Fig. 8 shows by way of example varioussections which the material under operation can take.

Up to this time the blanks or rods of celluloid were first cut in piecesof suitable length (Fig. l) in order to form a pin by simple bending (asshown in Fig. 4:). The points of this pin were made by mechanical means,such. as grinding or cut-ting, and it must be clearly understood thatthis procedure involves Waste of material represented by the part shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1.

According to the process which is the object of the present invention,all waste is done away with, a great economy of material and ofworkmanship is effected, and for the same length of blank a greaternumber of pointed blanks are obtained than by the ordinary means.

The process in question is as follows. A given length A B of rod isstretched horizontally (Fig. 2), the one end A of which I is fixed andthe other end B is submitted to a traction T of requisite amount and inthe direction A B. If this traction is less than the limit of resistanceof the material employed in proportion to its diameter, no motion willbe produced, but if the mass is rendered plastic by heat, for instance,this resistance is lost and it yields to the traction and a drawing outis effected with a reduction of diameter of the part drawn out. If weconsider a point 0 on the rod A. B (Fig. 1) and if it be arranged thatto the right and to the left of this middle plane and symmetrically thesoftening of the material shall decrease gradually and arrive at Zero atthe points P P (Fig. 2), it is obvious that the influence of thetraction will only be experienced in the same decreasing proportion.

The rod which was cylindrical from one end to the other will then showafter the operation, a diminution or a gradual tapering which willcommence at P and reach its maximum 0 (Fig. If the proportion ofdiminution is suitably regulated there will be obtained the form of twospindles joined at the points. Consequently if on a rod of any desiredlength a certain number of points 0 are marked dividing the total lengthinto any given number of parts, and if traction be applied to the endsof this rod after there has been effected about each point 0 a softeningaccording to the manner above explained, it is obvious that the materialof the rod will be drawn out atthese points, and after the operationthere will be a rod of greater length and formed of a number of pointedspindles joined at the points. It will then su'liice to cut the rod atthe junction points, that is to say at the places where its diameter hasbecome the minimum in order to obtain spindles pointed at each end. Thematerial which formerly was wasted in scrapings has been in this mannercompletely utilized and serves to form the additional length of thespindles obtained.

Various machines may be devised for the practical carrying out of thisprocess. Figs. 5 and (3 of the drawings show a construction of a machinefor producing a large munber of rods at one time. A. frame 1 supportedby the feet 2 crossed by the transverse pieces 3, 3, 3*, having thejournals '1, l, el in which revolve two parallel shafts 5, 6 each endingat their end in screws with opposite threading 5 5 (3, (5 The screws 5(l have respectively matrices 7 8 connected to a cross bar 9 and thescrews 5* 6* bearing the matrices 10, 11 are connected by a cross bar12. Upon these cross bars are placed jaws 13, llclamped by means of thescrews 13, 14 and in which the rods J to be oper ated upon are grippedat their ends and arranged side by side parallel to the shafts 5, (3.The shafts 5. (3 have each a bevel gear wheel 15, 16 engaging with thegear wheels 17, 18 keyed upon a shaft 19 with a fly wheel 20. By therotation of the said fly wheel 20 in one direction'or the other, therewill be effected the approach or the moving apart from one another ofthe cross bars 9 and 12. A pointer 21 fixed upon the cross bar 12 movesover a scale 22 supported by the frame to indicate the displacement ofthe cross bars 9 and 12. In the longitudinal axis of the frame of themachine there is arranged a rod or guide 23 supported by the lugs 24, onthe cross bars 3 ant 3". Upon the rod 23 there slides a sleeve 26 whichcarries a steam heating box 27 which extends transversely under the rowof rods. A perforated tube 28 arranged in the length of this box 27receives steam from a flexible pipe 29 of rubber or the like, whichwinds upon a drum 30 in proportion to the longitudinal displacement ofthe box 27. The supply of the steam is regulated by a fixed cock 31. Thesleeve 26 is attached to a point 26 of an endless chain or cable 32which is coiled upon a drum 83 after having passed over two othertension drums Z-l-l, arranged at the ends of the frame. A hand wheel 236permits the drum 233 to turn and cause the displacement of the sleeve 26and consequently of the box 27 from one end to the other of the machine.A. pointer 37 fixed to the box 27 moves over a scale 38 fixed to theframe and enables the worker to control the displacement of the box 27.The box 27 is surmounted upon the rods by a cover 39 against the lowerface whereof the jet of steam impinges and the longitudinal edgeswhereof are more or less turned up in order, according to their form, todistribute the heat more or less far over the set of rods so as to varythe form of the spindles obtained. This cover has projections 40 adaptedto engage. with the lugs 4C1 upon the sides of the box 27 Thisarrangement permits of the cover being removed in order to facilitatethe insertion or the removal of the rods.

The operation of this machine is as follows: By aid of the wheel 20 thecross bars 9 and 12 are brought into the zero position indicated uponthe scale 22. This position is so chosen that the distance between theclamps 13 and 14: shall be equal to the length of the row of rods. Theclamps are then fixed upon the rods, and by turning the wheel 36 the box27 is brought against the cross bar 9. The cover 89 is placed on the box27 and steam is discharged into the tube 28. hen the requisite heatinghas been effected, the wheel 20 is turned until the pointer 21 points tothe first division on the scale; this division being calculatedaccording to the size of the part of the spindle which is to bediminished in thickness and according to the coefiicient of elongationwhich is applicable to the material worked. lVhen the required result isobtained, the box 27 is rapidly moved on by aid of the wheel 36 to thefirst division of the scale 38, the cover 39 is suitably arranged, theoperation is recommenced, and so on. The divisions of the scale 38 arecalculated according to the size of the pin to be made, taking intoaccount the desired elongation. When the rods are removed from themachine they have the appearance of spindles connected together at theirends, and it is only requisite to cut them and to finish them. It shouldbe remarked that the rods thus treated can very easily be polishedbeforehand, which produces spindles polished throughout and especiallyat their ends.

Although only one box 27 is shown on the drawing, it is obvious that aseries of heating boxes can be applied so as to heat simultaneouslyseveral points on each rod or blank, as previously explained.

The material treated may be of any section. Fig. 8 indicates severalsuch by way of example.

lVhat I claim is:

1. Apparatus for producing celluloid rods with pointed ends, comprisingin combination a frame, a series of clamps on said frame each adapted togrip one end of one of a number of rods arranged parallel, a pair ofmovable cross bars adapted to carry the said clamps arranged in pairsone at one end of the frame and the other at the other end thereof,screw shafts operatively connected to the said crossbars and adapted onbeing rotated to cause the crossbars to advance toward or recede fromone another, mechanism adapted to actuate the said screw shafts, andheating apparatus adapted to soften the said rods at predeterminedpoints.

2. Apparatus for producing celluloid rods with pointed ends, comprisingin combination a frame, mechanism f0 applying endwise traction to saidrods, a carrier parallel with the frame axis, a box adapted to slide andsharing the motion of said matrices,

clamps on said crossbars adapted to grip the ends of the celluloid rods,a gage adapted to indicate the amount of displacement of the crossbars,a carrier rigidly supported on the frame and parallel to itslongitudinal axis, a plurality of steam heating boxes adapted to slideon said carrier, a pipe adapted to convey steam to each heating box atany point, mechanism for moving the boxes along the carrier and anindicator for each box adapted to show its position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAVE PETITCOLLIN. lVitnesses:

PAUL CAGNET,

H. C. Coxn.

